


Two Truths and a Lie

by pipsiev2



Category: NCT (Band), NCT Dream
Genre: Alternate Universe - Not K-Pop Idols, Aromantic, Attempt at Humor, Coming Out, Gen, Light Angst, Platonic Male/Male Relationships, Platonic Relationships, bit of self hatred, for a hot sec, jaemin should learn jenos cats names
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:55:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21816262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pipsiev2/pseuds/pipsiev2
Summary: He thought that he might as well give them something easy before this round, becausewhy not? (And, also, Jaemin’s spent the past three or so months hyping himself up for this, has spent the past hour building up the resolve to do this, and if he has to bore his friends while leading up to this, then he sure as fuckinghellis going to.)
Relationships: Huang Ren Jun/Lee Donghyuck | Haechan, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan & Na Jaemin, Lee Jeno & Na Jaemin, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Na Jaemin & Everyone
Comments: 1
Kudos: 66





	Two Truths and a Lie

“My turn,” Jaemin says, a smirk on his face. He can hear the rest of them groan, and he knows exactly why.

For the previous two rounds he made it _ridiculously_ easy for them. _“My birthday’s August 13th, I used to speed skate, when I was 14 years old I jumped off the top of Mount Everest”_ and _“I know how to dance, I drink my coffee with 3 pumps of caramel and pour pineapple juice in it, I’ve made out with Jeno approximately five and a half times”_ (Jeno gave him _hell_ for that one, having not only been dragged on multiple of Jaemin’s coffee excursions but _also_ being called out for being the only one in their friend group to kiss Jaemin more than three times (“Why the half?” Donghyuck asked, laughter evident in his voice. “ _Please_ don’t answer that,” Jeno begged)).

He thought that he might as well give them something easy before this round, because _why not?_ (And, also, Jaemin’s spent the past three or so months hyping himself up for this, has spent the past hour building up the resolve to do this, and if he has to bore his friends while leading up to this, then he sure as fucking _hell_ is going to.)

“I’m bisexual,” it’s obvious enough, from the way Jaemin lacks a brain-to-mouth filter whenever it comes to calling someone attractive, so he doesn’t think anyone will choose _that_ as the lie (plus there’s always the fact that Jaemin’s _literally_ made out with all of his friends at some point in time, but Mark doesn’t like to talk about it so _shhhhh_ ). “I know all of Jeno’s cats names,” he doesn’t, and Jeno _knows_ this, his eyes widening when Jaemin makes eye contact with him. The two of them have been together for so long, have gone through thick and thin, to the point where Jaemin thinks that they might as well be one person by now. If anyone’s going to figure out what Jaemin’s going to do before he actually _does it_ , it’s going to be Jeno. And so—

  
➴➷➴➷➴➷   
  


There’s a lot to be said about crushes.

Jaemin used to have a crush on Jeno when they were in middle school, used to think that Jeno’s smile could brighten up the room and his laugh could make everything in the world whole again. He used to never want to let Jeno go, wanted to live out the rest of his life with Jeno because Jeno completed him in a way that Jaemin could never describe, _completes_ him in a way that he _still_ can’t describe.

Jaemin used to have a crush on sweet, oblivious Mark, who did nothing but his best to help everyone and anyone, who took people under his wing, even when it became too much for him. Mark is hardworking and strong, is a pillar of support who has always been there to keep Jaemin up when he feels like he’s falling.

Jaemin used to have a crush on Donghyuck, on Renjun. He used to have a crush on Yukhei, on Yangyang, on Chenle, and on Jisung. He used to have a crush on all of his friends at some point, at some time before he actually _became_ friends with them, some of the crushes fading more than others.

It’s when he hears the way that Renjun talks about Donghyuck, though, when the two of them are alone together, the way Renjun sounds so _vulnerable_ as he talks to Jaemin about his feelings for Donghyuck, that Jaemin realizes that _his_ definition of a crush is different than Renjun’s, is different than _everyone’s_. It makes him uncomfortable, shame spreading across his skin like another layer.

Jaemin likes who he is, does his best not to compare himself to others. Just this once, though, (and many, _many_ times afterwards) there’s disgust running through his veins and unease settling into his bones.

  
➴➷➴➷➴➷   
  


_“You and Jeno make such a cute couple!”_

It’s something that Jaemin’s heard dozens of times before, something that everybody and anybody won’t let him forget. It’s something that simmers underneath his skin, something that makes him feel uncomfortable and squeamish, makes his skin crawl and his throat close up.

Jeno has yet to notice, instead placating the person who made the comment in the first place, making up a story about how the two of them aren’t meant to be, about how they were meant to forever be best friends. The person looks to Jaemin to confirm, and he can’t stop how quickly he agrees.

_“You two look so in love with each other.”_

Sometimes Jaemin feels like he should run away, like he should block Jeno out of any and every aspect of his life. He feels like it’s too much, like the amount of attention that other people place onto him and his best friend is suffocating. The feeling hits him at random times, claws at his chest and empties his lungs, and Jaemin always feels so _guilty_ when the feeling hits him, feels guilty that he’s ever entertained the thought of removing Jeno from his life.

_“Don’t worry, one day Jaemin will realize he’s in love with you, too.”_

It’s something he’s not supposed to here, something that’s whispered to Jeno in secret, but Jaemin _can_ hear _it_. He can hear the intonations of the person’s voice as they say that to Jeno, and he’s too busy trying to keep down his breakfast to pay attention to what Jeno says in response, shooting up to run out of the room as quickly as possible.

There’s so many people, so many comments about him and Jeno, about their relationship and their looks and their _everything_ , that it’s hard to push all the thoughts out of his head, is hard not to think about constantly. The comments are an ever-present pressure against his skin, against his heart and his brain, offering no release from its clutches.

_“You and Jeno aren’t in love with each other.”_

Donghyuck’s the one who says that, is the one who Jaemin instinctively reaches out to when everything becomes too much, because Donghyuck may be loud but he’s _comfort_ , he’s home in a place where Jaemin never thought he’d find it, and it’s nothing if not Jaemin’s _nature_ to seek him out.

Jaemin feels his body relax in ways that he didn’t think was possible, feels his shoulders untense and his arms start to feel like jelly now that he’s unclenched his fists. If hearing that him and Jeno are in love with each other makes Jaemin’s heart constrict, makes his hands cold and his breath stuttered, not enough oxygen going through so that he stops hurting but _just enough_ so that he stays conscious, than hearing Donghyuck say the opposite makes Jaemin do a complete 180.

➴➷➴➷➴➷

Just like Jaemin used to have a crush on Jeno, Jeno used to have a crush on Jaemin.

It was something that Jaemin could deal with, something that Jaemin thought he could ignore. In the back of his head he could hear Renjun’s words about Donghyuck, could feel the prick of the realization that Jaemin doesn’t like Jeno like how Renjun likes Donghyuck—Jaemin doesn’t like _people_ like how Renjun likes Donghyuck.

Jaemin ignores the way his heart sinks when he receives a message from Jeno, ignores the way being around Jeno makes him feel physically ill. He doesn’t know why his body’s reacting like this, which means that he might as well ignore it, right? After all, there’s no real reason for it all.

So Jaemin ignores it, ignores the fact that everyone would much rather see the two of them as an item then as friends, ignores how filthy that makes him feel.

Which, of course, is when Jeno decides to corner Jaemin.

“I have a crush on you,” he says, practically falling on top of Jaemin, Jaemin’s back pressed against the wall, “but you already know that.”

Eyes squeezed shut, Jaemin nods. This is it, he guesses. All these years with Jeno, all the time spent hanging out, all the nights where they would stay up and talk about anything and everything, probably gone.

“I don’t want to date you.”

“Oh?” Jaemin’s eyes fly open, a meek sound coming from his mouth. Jeno’s brows are drawn together and his eyes are scanning Jaemin’s face. “Well that doesn’t sound like a proper confession.”

Jeno shrugs. “That’s because I’m not confessing,” he says. “I’m just telling you so that you know. I don’t want to date you.”

“But you like me?” Jaemin doesn’t understand. “Don’t people usually want to date the people they have a crush on?”

“Why would I want to date you if I know you don’t like me back?” Jeno tilts his head. “It’s obvious that you’re not interested in dating people, especially not _me_ , so why would I want you to?”

“You’re not upset?” Jaemin asks.

Jeno shakes his head, frowning. “There’s no reason for me to be upset, Jaeminie.”

“But I don’t like you back?”

“So?” Jeno puts his hand on Jaemin’s shoulder. “You can’t control how you feel or what you feel for someone. You didn’t lie to me or anything, and you didn’t get mad that I had a crush on you, so why would I be upset?”

There’s no good answer to that, so Jaemin doesn’t say anything, instead resting his head on Jeno’s shoulder, letting him pull Jaemin into a hug.

  
➴➷➴➷➴➷   
  


_—_ ”I’m aromantic,” Jaemin says, eyes still on Jeno. Beside him, he hears someone gasp before exhaling sharply, a _“what the fuck was that for?”_ that could only come from Chenle following it up. “So,” he claps his hands, “what’s the lie?”

Jeno doesn’t answer, but he doesn’t need to. Him and Jaemin both know the answer, both know what Jaemin saying this entails. Jaemin never needed to say it out loud for Jeno to know, and Jeno never pressured him too, either. Jeno and Jaemin, Jaemin and Jeno. A two in one package deal that knows everything about each other, so Jaemin didn’t need to say anything when Jeno could see it in front of his eyes the entire time.

There’s a whistle coming from Jaemin’s left, and he looks over to see Donghyuck staring at him, leaning back on the couch with a knowing look and a satisfied grin, arm stretched in the air. Chaos interrupts around them, arguments about Jaemin’s knowledge of Jeno’s cats erupting.

Renjun, for how calm he usually is, looks absolutely _scandalized_. “Donghyuck, did you already know the answer?” Jeno laughs, and Jaemin figures that it’s because Donghyuck’s the only one that Renjun decided to call out.

“What can I say?” he says, winking. “I’m just good at context clues. Plus, he literally said he made out with Jeno half a dozen times without dating him, would _you_ kiss someone six times without dating them?”

“That’s just how he shows affection though,” Mark complains, “how are we supposed to know if that means he’s aromantic or not?”

“Guys,” Jisung says, eerily calm, “Jeno and Jaemin got into an argument yesterday because he only remembered Bongsik’s name.”

The room’s silent, Chenle’s mouth opening and closing like a fish’s before Mark starts _screaming_.

“Jaemin!” Mark shrieks. “You can’t just tell us something like this through _two truths and a lie_ , what the _fuck_ ! Why is this how you wanted to do this! _Jaemin!_ ”

According to group consensus, Mark’s unfiltered horror is decidedly _hilarious_ , if the way that Jeno, Jaemin, Donghyuck, and Jisung start laughing is to go by. Chenle looks torn on whether to laugh or to agree, and Jaemin feels kind of bad when he sees the poor kid just shove his face into his hands and scream. Renjun, on the other hand, looks like his soul departed from his body, his eyes unfocused and staring at a burn on Mark’s table from when Chenle and Jisung accidentally threw a firecracker at it two weeks ago.

“Oh my god,” Jisung giggles, “Jaemin, I think you broke them.”

Donghyuck, in his own fit of laughter, reaches out to grab Renjun’s hand, pulling his lithe body towards him. Jisung does nothing but pat Chenle on the head before leaning against Jeno, Jeno’s arm instinctively wrapping around the younger’s shoulder as they laugh against each other.

Jaemin does nothing but pat Mark gently on the thigh. “If it’s any consolation,” he says, calming down a bit, “it was either this or not say it at all.”

Mark looks him in the eyes. “Na Jaemin, I’m going to kill you, you ridiculous fool.”

**Author's Note:**

> i've had writers block for so long ashdkgjlhkda i started this on september 15th ajfslkajf;
> 
> was originally gonna be a coming of age story but i had writers block so instead it turned into me writing whatever felt right ashdkjkahlgshk


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